Unicorn Store

So objectively this movie is not so great, has many flaws and you will probably not like it.

But I loved it and it devastated me with each simple message, like how hard it is to be loved and not doubt oneself when a person is just different and not in the holywoody good polished funny way or how is it to doubt own sanity and validity for it. The purity of the unicorn and the mess of the real live and whatnot. Yes the movie is not very good but I would still recommend it to anyone feeling a bit out of place most of the time.

Also the love they have for each other in the family, combined with the inability to understand each other and the efforts they all put in it in their own ways is just gut wrenching and a strong good message of the movie, if nothing else.

I'm probably not the target market for this film, maybe it resonates better with younger or female audiences. I did watch the whole thing so it wasn't horrible, I did want to see how it ended.

It's a story about a young woman trying to figure out life and her place in it and how to relate to her family and friends and humanity in general. She seems to gain some insight through her journey. There is a bit of magical realism done in a somewhat clever manner that adds to the allegorical feel.

I did other things while watching it and found it to be okay entertainment to pass the time.

Unicorn store is a magnificent modern tale like The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) was in its time, a metaphoric movie to be apprehended at the second degree. As a child, Kit radiates happiness until gradually becoming a young hardly-happy adult. She's single, unemployed, glued to the sofa in front of the TV all day, able to drink a full glass of wine at one gulp without even realizing it, ... until an unusual salesman from an unusual store disrupts her life. This film deals mainly with stereotypes, conformism and the difficulty of leaving a childhood filled with dreams, to join a world of adults devoid of joy or benevolence.

Growing old does not necessarily mean growing up...

Unicorn store is the first movie directed by Brie Larson, sensational actress in Short Term 12 or Room for instance, and requires then a minimum of indulgence. On April the 5th, 2019, the ratings distribution on IMDb is literally extra-ordinary, with an anti-Gaussian curve: either we worship this movie (25% of 9 or 10), either we hate it (55% of 1 or 2), with a staggering total of 80% with these two extremist groups! I find myself torn by contradictory feelings, as usual in some way, but I globally enjoyed this movie. Although it's imperfect, it's definitely worth a try. And even more than this.

Immersed in a magical realm of glitter, rainbows and unicorns, Kit radiates happiness and positive energy to the outside world. Yet darkness begins to creep into her life. Kit is rejected from art school, cannot find a job or mate, and is subjected to constant needling from parents who are encouraging her to leave the nest. In the face of such pressure, feeling unappreciated and losing faith in her dreams and artistic abilities, Kit displays uncharacteristic behavior. She slips on a bleak business suit and obtains a job at a soul snuffing ad agency with a creepy boss. This is when mysterious invitations arrive at Kit's desk luring her into believing in unicorns again. Friends and family consider an intervention as Kit responds to the invitations, begins building a stable worthy of a unicorn and prepares to smother her unicorn with love.

Brie Larson directs the film and stars as Kit, a creative woman with a fierce desire to be seen for who she truly is. This delightful, quirky and charming film sparkles with feminine energy and pastel colors. Even Samuel Jackson, with a supporting role, is part of the magic and glow. As wonderful as the story is, it needs a little more sophistication and depth, and less straightforwardness. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

So I go on Netflix and come across a movie called Unicorn Store. 'that sounds cute' (I thought to myself) 'let me just check IMDB really quick to see the score'. From then on I get bombarded with negative reviews, half of which seem to be more focused on Captain Marvel then this film. But whatever, I put that aside, because whatever bias I may or may not have towards Captain Marvel, I want to judge this film on its own.

So in short I saw the whole film and I liked it. For me is wasn't the kind of comedy that made me slap my knee because I was bursting out laughing so hard (except kinda on two occasions), this is the kind of humor that made me do a double take on what weird things a characters just said, snickering a bit in disbelief. To be fair, it's kinda a weird movie.

We follow Kit, a peculiar individual to say the least, as she is pressured into adult life whilst also receiving a task that can make one of her childhood dreams come true(You can guess from the title what that is). Now with the adulthood element the film offers a 'fish out of water' scenario for Kit, because as her name suggests, expect to see a kid in Brie Larson's performance. Most comedies star someone who doesn't want to grow up, but they're better described as immature, whereas Kit is a full-grown child. Personally I found this pretty refreshing. Brie Larson plays the role really well with such a childlike wonder and stubbornness for everything. And with naive curiosity she often asks weird questions or goes off topic because of her attention span. I found most of the other characters working really well with her, providing a bit of reality in what would otherwise be a child's fantasy.

The movie does have it's problems though. I found the middle part to be dragging a bit too much, as all the little plot points are slowly prepared for Kit's work and dream quest. And to be fair I really didn't enjoy the business plotline with Gary that much. That one fell a bit flat in characters and plot importance, providing also some of the lesser comedic moments in the film.

But it does pick up again for the third act, which was I really liked. It's the act where everything begins to clash between characters and where the film begins to pack a punch in the emotional department. The comedy is at it's best, providing possibly the film's most memorable moments, and delivers a satisfying ending to the story.

In technical aspects the movie is fine. The direction and cinematography work well, but aren't much to write home about. The production design in The Store was pretty good, otherwise also just fine. The music fits pretty well with the tone. The film kinda has a minimalistic feel to it in technical regards, to be honest.

But to wrap it up, I liked this movie. It's not perfect, but it's a fun watch with some nice little life lessons wrapped up in it. Kit's developing friendship with Mamoudou Athie especially I found really endearing. Samuel L. Jackson is gloriously weird and the parents amusingly dry. I recommend watching it for yourself. It's definitely worth checking out sometime. And hopefully I don't get lynched for liking Brie Larson :)